Method of making sheet-metal bearings



4 30, 1930. w. H. KLOCKE I 1,787,255

IETHOD OF MAKING SHEET METAL BEARINGS Original Filed Nov. 1. 1928 INVENTOR.

a Z///"a7/z H/liocke I BY 7/ 1; 1r Q9014 A TTORNEYS I Patented Dec. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE H. KLOOKE, OF WOODHAVEN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND GRAPHITE BRONZE COMPANY,

OF CLEVELAND, .OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO METHOD OF MAKING SHEET-METAL BEARINGS Application med November 1, 1928, Serial No. 316,472. Renewed m 29', 1930.

The present invention, relating, as indicated, to a method of making sheet metal bearings, is particularly directed to an 1mproved method of progressively forming a sheet or strip of rolled sheet bearing metal into a cylindrical bearing while maintaining the blanks at-all stages of their formation as a part of the strip until the completion'of the bearing, when the bearing is severed from the strip. The present method presents numerous advantages, including those of greater economy and speed of operation, greater accuracy 1n the feeding of the blanks at various stages to the next succeeding dies, and, the avoidance of loss through inaccuracy of alignment of the blanks with the dies.

' To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail one approved method of carrying out the invention, such disclosed mode, however. constituting but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention maybe used.

, verse sectlon of In said annexed drawings y 1 Fig. 1 is a lan view of a strip of sheet metal from w ich bearings may be formed by my improved method; Fig. 2 is a transthe same on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a finished bearing formed from the sheet of Figs'l and 2; Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the strip when undergoing the various steps of the present process; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same;

igs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are transverse sections on the lines 7- -7, 88, 9-9, 10,10, 1111 and 12-12 of Fig. 6, respectively; Fig. 13 is a transverse section showing one form of trimmin dies employed in the initial operation of the present method, Fig. 14 is a similar View illustrating one form of shearing dies; Fig. 15 is a similar view showing'one form of is a similar view showing one form of form-- ing dies; and Fig. 17 is a similar view showingfinishing dies.

Cylindrical bearings are now made from metal, that the and in separate initial bending dies; Fig 16 rolled sheet metal in large quantities, the

process commonl used consisting in first cutting rectangular lanks from a sheet of metal, then forming these in one machine into substantially a U-shape and then finishin this U-shaped blank into a cylindrical bla and then finishing this U-shape blank into a cylindrical blank in either one or two subsequent operations. It has not been found practical to carry out these various operations successively in a single machine because of the difliculty of registering the partially formed blanks accurately in the dies and at the same time preventing the collecting on the blanks at various points ofchips and pieces of metal, which, under the dies, causes spoiling of the blanks. It will be understood t at to avoid the collecting on the blanks of so strong in relation to the weight of the individual blanks, which are often of thin sheet laced and misaligned withrespect to the ies. For these reasons the manufacture of c lindrical bearings from relatively light t in sheet metal stock has up to this time been carried out entirely in separate stages machines. The present method has been developed to permit the manufacture of such bearings in progressive stages in a single machine while avoiding the possibility of spoiling of the articles through misplacement in the dies'. This method consists, briefly stated, in passing through a series of dies arranged progressively in a single machine, a strip of stock, initially trimming this stock, then transversely shearing it to partially separate the blank to be formed from the remainder of the strip, and then formin this blank into open cylindrical form w ile still a part of the strip proper and finally shearing it and practically simul taneously finishingthe forming by bending the severed blank into true cylindrical form.

In Fig. 1 I have'shown a strip of flat rolled sheet metal stock 1 of a suitable bearing metal, such for example as an alloy of copper and zinc, copper, tm and zinc, or similar material WhlCll is to be formed into the cylindriblanks are liable to be dis- 1 cal shape shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In carrysubstantiall U-shape with a forming operation,

to the desired transverse dimension b means of'suitable dies, which are shown in ig. 13, and which cooperate to shear the two edges of the blank, or if desired a single edge, to bring the width of the blank to the required dimension. Thestrip 1, having a sheared portion 2, is then moved longitudinally through the dies and is next operated on by the Shearing dies 5, 5' (see Fig. 14) to partially shear the blank from the remainder of the strip, leaving the central portion 6 still uncut to connect the blank 3 with the main strip. This partially sheared blank is then moved to the next station, where it is operated upon by the bending dies 7, 7' (see Fig. 15) to form the strip as shown in Fig. 10, in which the outer edges 8 are bent downwardly out of the normal plane of the strip while the blank in this form-is still connected to the strip proper and to the next blank by means of a central unsheared portion 6.

The blank in the form of Fig. 10 is then moved to the succeeding station where it is operated on by thedies 9, 9 mandrel 40, (see Fig. 16) to form it into the lower ends 10 bent inwar ly slightly to facilitate the final and at this stage the blank is still connected to the next succeeding one by the same unsheared ortion 6.

The final operation, w ich takes place upon the'movement of the blank to the next station, consists in the shearing through of the connectin portion 6, durin which action the final ormin dies 11, 11 (see Fig. 17)

engage the bla and'fimsh the formm of the bearing by bending the U-shaped b ank of Fig. 11 into the truly cylindrical blank shown in Fi 12 about a-mandrel 13 which is inserted within the blank of Fig. 11 at the same time that this blank is sheared from the stri proper.

T e last two operations of forming the cylindrical bearing involve not only the orming but also the swaging and setting of the metal so that there is no tendency for the finished cylindrical'element. to open, or for the abutting edges to spread. This action is effected by the swaging of the metal in the I final operation and by the initial bending the dies to occur. The blank is at all times,-

' aligned by reason of inward of the adjacent ed es which is e fected in the dies shown in ig. 15.

By formm the bearings'm the manner pliist describe a gnment between the lank at any stage and up to the very final formin step, an. integral part of the entlre strip an is positioned and 0 this connection. Durmg all the operations a strong air blast from the nozzle 14 can be tor-cod across the strip, thus removing all of the chi s and particles of metal from the surfaces 0 the blank as it and over the tegrall united it is im ossible for any misbending the rogresses without in any way misplacing the lank or causing it-to chatter or move in the dies by reason of the integral connection between all portions of the strip as it passes through the dies.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention maybe employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the process herein disclosed, rovided the step or steps stated-by any 0 following claims or the equivalent of stated step or steps be employed.

such

the

I therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a method of making bearings, the

steps which consist in partially shearing a blank from a sheet of metal, forming such blank into open channel form while still integrally united with said sheet, and then severing such blank and forcing the same into closed cylindrical form. 2. In a method of making bearings, steps which consist in partiall shearing a blankfrom a sheet of metal, orming such blank into open channel form while still integrally united with said sheet, and then severing such blank from said sheet and-forcing the same into closed cylindrical form.

3. In a method of making bearings, the

4. In a method of making bearings, thesteps which consist in partially shearing a rectangular blank from a sheet of metal by transversely cuttinglthe same, forming suc blank into open 0 annel form while still integrally united with said sheet, and then severing such substantiall simultaneously forcing the same into 0 osed cylindrical form.

5. In a method of making bearings, the steps which consist in partially shearing a rectangular blank from a sheet of metal bv transversely cutting the same, forming sue blank into open channel form while still inwlth said sheet, gripping said blank tween final cylindrical forming die members, severing the same from said sheet and then causing said final die members to force said blank into closed cylindrical form.

- 6. In a method of steps which consist in partiall shearing a rectangular blank from a rol ed sheet of metal by transversely cutting said metal and. leaving an unsevere portion e ual in lengt to not less than one-thirdthe nal diameter of the desired bearing, then transversel severed portion of said bl into channel form, and finally completely forming said: blankby'bending into closed the I blank from said sheet and making bearings, the

I 25 the curved ends projecting inwardly toward lgsigned by me, 27th day of 08mm,

cylindrical form and severing the same from said sheet.

7. In a method of making bearings, the steps which consist in partiall shearing a 5 rectan ar blank from a r0 ed sheet of metal y transversel cutting the metal and leaving an unsevere ortion e ual-in length to not less than one-t ird the al diameter of the desired bearin then initially bending inward theends 0 said severed portions, forming such blank into channel forms with the curved ends projecting inwardly toward the center of such channel, and completely forming such channel into a cylindrica :Eorm

and severing the same-from said sheet.

.' 8. In a method of making bearings, the steps which consist in partiall shearing a rectangular blank .from a r0 ed sheet of metal y transversely cutting the metal and lea an unsevered rtion e ual in lengthto not as than one-t rd the al diameter of the desired bea ,'then initially bending inward-the ends b said severed portions, forming such blank into channel forms with thecenter of such channel, and completely forming such channel blank into cylindrical form between swaging dies to set the metal of theblank in the desired form.

- K'LOGKE, 

